Hopefully Sacramento wins in about 5 or 6 overtimes. Yes, I'm looking ahead to a Celtics team off two disgraceful performances going to LA on Friday night. Also, if any Kings want to stomp on Shaq's toe a few dozen times, it'll be appreciated.

The Kings may have won their big game tonight but C Webb is going to prove that he is completely spineless once again come playoff time. I think the Lakers can take the Kings in seven even though the Kings have a deeper bench and a better all around starting five. Whether any team can take San Antonio is a different question though, Tony Parker has been playing AMAZING ball lately.

Originally posted by chuckc14Does ANYBODY on this board take the Mavs seriously? All I'm seeing is Kings or Spurs or Lakers...

Until they prove that they can hang with any of the above teams in a best of seven, the Mavs are only going to be seen as a bunch of pretenders, regardless of their record. They've been sent home in 5 games in the 2nd round by the Spurs and Kings in the last two years, and the Lakers have owned them in the regular season. With Don Nelson publicly saying that they're trying to hold off the Spurs in the Midwest "so the Mavs wouldn't have to face the Lakers in the first round", it goes to show that while the Mavs have the talent, they do not have the mental toughness and confidence of a champion.

I don't see why Lakers fans are so adamant about saying they are the best. Sure until somebody beats them they are the champs, but I don't see how you can say that they are definitely going to beat the Kings. The Kings nearly beat them in a seven game series last year. The Lakers have gotten worse, the Kings have gotten better. And those mind games that Phil Jackson has passed off to Shaq are just stupid. Saying Bibby doesn't deserve to be on the USA team just makes you look like you don't know what you're talking about Shaq.

For the record, I never said the Lakers were "The Best" (but maybe you werent refering to me?). Speaking of records, theirs clearly shows that they're NOT the best team in the league this season. And yes, I still remember the Kings nearly beating them last year.

However, I still stand by my feeling that they can not be beat in a best of 7 series.

I am a lifelong Celtics fan and many of you know that is a lot of freaking years. I used to imitate John Havlicek before Larry Bird was the man. The Celtics won't do it this year. Probably not the Mavs. Maybe the Kings.

But, alas, Frosty is most likely right.

He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.

DJ FROSTY: Meanwhile, it looks like the Suns are really getting their ish together. You got that right. Including the pickup of Nash, I like the Suns as good as anyone in the West now that Shaq is gone. If it would boil down T'Wolves v.